Networked computer systems may allow participants of a data exchange network to derive value from data which other participants might possess concerning an entity or subject of common interest. However, certain policies, issues, considerations, etc. often demand that a particular participant not share certain data with other participants. Sometimes, the restricted data concerns all aspects regarding a particular subject. Sometimes, the restriction applies only to certain participants. In other situations, the restriction applies to only certain aspects of the data related to the subject. In some situations, a combination of these types of restrictions and other factors might apply and cause the affected participant to constrain its activities accordingly.
Each of the participants might be associated with a node in a network over which the participants communicate and exchange data. Due to the wide variety of possible participants, any particular participating computer (PC) system might be quite sophisticated with stringent data management policies in place and enforced. Some PC systems might use sophisticated indexing techniques, document management applications, and the like to organize the records therein. For instance, a particular participant might be an insurance company with a state-of-the-art PC system. Another participant might be a hospital with a PC system without data management controls and few processing resources. Yet another participant might be a physician who uses a rudimentary PC system in or associated with the physician's office.
Another factor concerns the number and size of files in the data exchange. Some participants might have only a few records regarding a limited number of subjects. Other participants might have numerous records regarding multitudes of subjects. Any of these records might contain quite a significant amount of data while other records might contain data of little use. Additionally, all or portions of PC systems of some participants might be unavailable from time to time for a number of reasons thereby depriving other participants of data stored therein.
Permutations of the foregoing factors and others complicate attempts to share data among data exchange participants in an efficient and mutually beneficial manner.